Membrane inlet—ion mobility spectrometry with automatic spectra evaluation as online monitoring tool for the process control of microalgae cultivation

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Malcolm Cämmerer - , Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (Author)
  • Thomas Mayer - , Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (Author)
  • Carolin Schott - , Chair of Bioprocess Engineering (Author)
  • Juliane Steingroewer - , Chair of Bioprocess Engineering (Author)
  • Ralf Petrich - , IFU GmbH (Author)
  • Helko Borsdorf - , Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (Author)

Abstract

The cultivation of algae either in open raceway ponds or in closed bioreactors could allow the renewable production of biomass for food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, or chemical industries. Optimal cultivation conditions are however required to ensure that the production of these compounds is both efficient and economical. Therefore, high-frequency analytical measurements are required to allow timely process control and to detect possible disturbances during algae growth. Such analytical methods are only available to a limited extent. Therefore, we introduced a method for monitoring algae release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the headspace above a bioreactor in real time. This method is based on ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) in combination with a membrane inlet (MI). The unique feature of IMS is that complete spectra are detected in real time instead of sum signals. These spectral patterns produced in the ion mobility spectrum were evaluated automatically via principal component analysis (PCA). The detected peak patterns are characteristic for the respective algae culture; allow the assignment of the individual growth phases and reflect the influence of experimental parameters. These results allow for the first time a continuous monitoring of the algae cultivation and thus an early detection of possible disturbances in the biotechnological process.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere2200039
JournalEngineering in Life Sciences
Volume23
Issue number4
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2023
Peer-reviewedYes

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

Keywords

  • algal biotechnology, classification methods, ion mobility spectrometry, Limnospira platensis, process monitoring